Friday, March 25, 2011

The Psyche and the Soul

Is the psyche the same as the soul, or is the soul something else all together? That little spark of "something special" that makes us human...where in us does it live? It cannot be in the heart, as my Richard's love for me changed not one whit when he had a heart transplant.

We used to believe that all sin was caused by wickedness passed down from parents to progeny, but we now look for causes that can be cured. The terrible temper that I feared in my father is part of my parenting pattern. I try mightily to overcome it, and often have to simply go to sleep or walk away. Now, I find that perhaps my moods are correctable parts of my consciousness. So, if this consciousness is in my brain, is my brain the seat of my soul?

There are events and people who infect the soul, leaving it with pits of pain. A core of calm is where Love lives, and the only thing that will protect us from plummeting into the pits of our pain. It is also the only place where we will be sure to have people patiently waiting to pull us out of the pit. With enough peace, will our psyches (souls?) eventually heal?

And how do we keep ourselves from being re-infected while we are loving our enemies?

LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH
(Jill Jackson / Mark Miller) - circa 1955

Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With Love as our Creator
Siblings all are we.
Let me walk with my all others
In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
With peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.

(child)
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With Love as our Creator
Siblings all are we.
Let me walk with all others
In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
In peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.

1 comment:

A good and thoughful post. I'm not a philosopher so cannot explain all of these phrases we use to describe the deepest emotions of mankind. I used to hear Daddy say philosophical things, like, "Hey boy! How you know that thing you call a donkey is not supposed to be called a cow?" He had all kinds of questions with which he would goad us to think. Haha. So, where is the seat of the emotions? As you say - definitely not in the physical heart. But it's there because I can feel it! I cannot see it but it's there. I cannot touch it with my fingers but it's there. I cannot draw a picture of it but it is real. And I'm so glad God made it that way. ☺